One Month in Alaska and Leading a Bird Walk

I cannot believe I have been in Cordova, Alaska for one month already! It seems like I just got here and was just settling in to a new place and a new job. Now I am busy working with the Forest Service working on community education, outreach, WetlandsLive, preparing for shorebird surveys and the Copper River Delta Shorebird Festival.

Since I got to Cordova I have seen snow for the first time, some rain but also many sunny days. This is not very common for Cordova which gets a large amount of rainfall. I have been taking advantage of these sunny days to take scenic strolls through the town during lunch breaks and walks to the harbor some evenings after work to enjoy the sunset. I have also gone on some hikes and everywhere I go I take my binoculars.

I began working with some Latino students from the local elementary school. To enjoy some beautiful sunny weather I took them on a bird walk to the harbor after school. Before we began our walk I showed them how to use binoculars. Although it may seem like an easy task, noting some helpful tips can help students get the most out of a birding experience. Among several tips we discussed were to always wear the strap while using binoculars, knowing how to focus the binoculars and not walking while looking through the binoculars. Some birds we saw during the walk were Red Polls, Pine Siskins, Buffleheads, and Common Goldeneyes. The kids enjoyed the walk and I enjoyed seeing them excited when they spotted a bird and wanted to stop and take a closer look with the binoculars. For some of them it was the first time they walked out to the harbor which is in walking distance of town. I am glad they had the opportunity to enjoy it in some great weather.